Want to stay current on e–commerce law? Sign up for Email Newsletter.
Pennsylvania Woman Faces $10 Million Fine for Unlicensed eBay Auctions
A Pennsylvania woman with two young children, one of them suffering from a brain tumor, faces a cumulative fine of more than $10 million after being charged with selling toys, antiques, videos and other products on eBay without an auctioneer’s license. Mary Jo Pletz, sold more than 10,000 products on the Internet and each transaction carries a possible fine of $1,000 under Pennyslvania law. A Pennsylvania spokeswoman, however, said Pletz faces only a $2,000 maximum fine because of two counts listed in the complaints.
Pletz began selling products from her computer in 2004 so she could stay home with her ailing 6-month-old daughter. Her case has unleashed a political storm in Harrisburg, the state capital, over what should be done about regulating Internet auctions in Pennsylvania. A Republican state senator labeled the Pletz case “bureaucracy run amok”, and has introduced a bill that would exempt eBay sellers from auctioneer’s licensing.
For additional information, visit: